20 MAY 1848, Page 9

PHILHARMONIC CONCERTS.

The concert of Monday had the usual merits and defects of these per- formances. The two Symphonies were Haydn's in B flat, the fourth of the " Salomon" set, and Beethoven's eighth in F; both masterpieces, and ad- mirably performed. The most interesting and commendable feature of the concert was Mozart's Pianoforte Concerto in D minor, played by Mr. Stern- dale Bennett. The neglect of those exquisite works of Mozart, which once, under the fingers of John Cramer, used to charm the ears of the Philhar- monic audiences, is most discreditable to our present race of artists. The revival of the Concerto in D minor, one of the most beautiful of them all, was honourable to the Directors; and its manner of execution was not less honourable to Mr. Bennett, who began his musical education under Cramer, and has caught his style and spirit,. A Manuscript Overture called " Ti- tania," by Mr. Griesbach, indicated more ambition than power; suggesting reminiscences of Weber and Mendelssohn only to provoke disagreeable comparisons by the total absence of delicacy or any other fairy-like quality. Of the vocal music, the sole noticeable portion was Beethoven's famous Cantata, " Ah perfido 1" the passionate song of the abandoned Medea: it was correctly but coldly sung by Madame Castellon. The things of Doni- zetti and Mercadante, sung by Castellan and Mario, were not worth listen- ing toll,